STKS: Rhythm and Brown (M4U Records)

 |   |  1 min read

STKS: Ignite
STKS: Rhythm and Brown (M4U Records)

In November 2010, when most media people were looking the other way unfortunately, a new Auckland-based record label M4U launched itself with a showcase of its talent in a hip bar on Ponsonby Rd.

The two most impressive acts bookended the night: the terrifyingly talented young singer Ria who stopped the chatter from her first soulful notes, and at the end the rather more mature STKS whose electro-beat/soul-funk dance music was as sassy and celebratory as he looked.

Not many people can pull off the bright black and yellow chequerboard look -- and he danced with that same stop-on-the-beat style of James Brown. Then flicked out another couple of crowd-pleasing moves which froze on the spot, then kick-started the beats again.

You knew straight away this guy was a born entertainer, and that rarity: a natural.

I was enormously impressed by both of these acts (I sent the spoken word/poet Jai who did a couple Gil Scott Heron-styled of spots an e-mail a few days later saying keep in touch, disappointingly he hasn't).

Although this debut album doesn't have quite the same thump'n'resonance as that live showing, it still manages to cleverly dance between Michael Jackson, Prince, soul-funk, Chic, hip-hop, electro-pop and interesting lyrics which can take down a Romeo who is acting like a fool ("your moves are so yesterday") or thank parents for their belief in him/you. Ria guests on Full Time Love.

And at the end he has a JA-styled toaster (Hamocane) introduce him and his background: "Born in the capital, raised in Otown [Otara] I'm your full brown island groovy spark a jiver . . . you may think I'm a super duper freeko, I do what I do")

And what STKS does is make your life a whole lot more fun and interesting. And he looks very good doing it.

This album seemed to appear back in January but then quickly fell off the radar. It now gets a proper (re)release. Check him out. 

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

Waco Brothers and Paul Burch: Great Chicago Fire (Bloodshot)

Waco Brothers and Paul Burch: Great Chicago Fire (Bloodshot)

Sounding like uncles who grew up on country-punk, Joe Ely's Texas rebel rock and some early Seventies Stones albums, the rootsy but rocking Waco Brothers here pull few surprises out of those... > Read more

Ov Pain: Ov Pain (cocomuse.co.nz)

Ov Pain: Ov Pain (cocomuse.co.nz)

In the musical microcosm that is Dunedin/Port Chalmers these days, we might allow ourselves to consider the duo at the core of this multi-referencing Goth-cum-drone-cum-claustrophobically... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

The Temple: Vastness Vastness (digital outlets)

The Temple: Vastness Vastness (digital outlets)

The Temple is the nom de disque (if we might come over all Paris Olympics) for Peter Liley, Nathan Carter (who performs as Alter Natural) and Jack Woodbury. Composer/producer Woodbury and... > Read more

THE BARGAIN BUY: Elvis Presley; Jailhouse Rock, Spinout (DVD)

THE BARGAIN BUY: Elvis Presley; Jailhouse Rock, Spinout (DVD)

Anyone wanting to see in stark contrast the sullen and moody Elvis of the rock'n'roll era of the Fifties and by comparison a kitsch by-the-number Elvis knock-off film from the Sixties should grab... > Read more